Association of Classical & Christian Schools

School News

Student Spotlight: September


     Ashton Murphy, a rising junior at Grace Academy of
Georgetown (Texas), earned multiple first place awards
at the 2010 National Junior Classical League (NJCL)
National Convention. Ashton, who has attended Grace
Academy since the third grade, received the first place
Lillie B. Hamilton Award trophy (overall highest points,
scoring in at least three categories), first place Individual
Achievement Award trophy (overall sweepstakes) and the
first place overall medal in graphic arts. Ashton placed
in the top ten in every event that she entered. Complete
results are available here.

Ashton Murphy

     This is the third consecutive year that Ashton has
attended the NJCL National Convention. An article by
Classical Academic Press reports that this year “Ashton
competed in numerous categories such as Latin academics,
creative arts, graphic arts and ‘Olympic’ athletic activities.
Ashton also delivered a dramatic rendition of one of
Cicero’s speeches . . . in Latin.”
     Karen Moore is Ashton’s Latin teacher at Grace
Academy of Georgetown. Karen says of her student:
“Ashton created and entered 16 pieces of art, studied
steadily for two academic tests, wrote two papers,
prepared a speech entirely in Latin, designed a costume”
and competed in “individual athletic endeavors. She also
played on the Texas delegation’s volleyball team.”
     “At the NJCL area convention in February, Ashton
was elected Area F chair by her peers. As such she was
also responsible to prepare items for the Texas delegation
(over 200 people) to use at one of the pep-rally-like events
they are required to attend at nationals.
     “Grace Academy has a Latin Club that has an active
chapter in the National Junior Classical League. Each
year [the club] attends competitions on the area and
state level.” Sometimes a few of the Grace Academy
students will make the national convention, “where
approximately a thousand dedicated young classicists
convene at a university campus each year for a week full
of competitions and events.”
     Classical Academic Press comments: “Ashton reports
that Latin has connected her to a tradition of culture and
language that is over 2,000 years old, which inspires and
motivates her. She notes that her English vocabulary
has grown immensely, enabling her to decode English
words she has never seen before. Ashton also says that
studying Latin has been fun and enjoyable and encourages
all students to study the language. She is currently
contemplating a career in journalism or law, but also
confesses a love for art.”
     An audio interview of Ashton Murphy and Karen
Moore can be heard at the Inside Classical Education
website.

Sources:

1. Classical Academic Press, http://classicalacademicpress.
com/index.php?main_page=page&id=37.

2 . L a t i n A l i v e , h t t p : / / b i z 4 9 . i nmo t i o n h o s t i n g .
com/~classi25/blog/latinalive/.


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